Practice Corner

by Kathy Alef

Each day begins with a pranayama practice. When I begin the practice I hear Geetaji saying, "I may be practicing for years, but when I sit to practice today, I am a beginner at that time." I was touched by these words from an advanced practitioner and understood pranayama must be done from the heart with humility. Beginning with exhalation, I surrender from head to heart and allow the heart to guide me. When everything is quiet, calm, and soft, I receive the breath and study where it touches, where it doesn't. I question why some areas take the initiative and others don't, what is its length, width, and breadth on the right side and the left side. With a mindful exhalation I surrender again to an inner calmness. When it doesn't come, I continue to exhale, again and again and release the exhalation from head to feet until the ego mind fades into the background. I allow the breath to guide me and trust where it will take me for that day. What new things I will learn, what new understandings will come.

I then have a break, and after about half hour, I again enter my practice space for asana. What a gift to be able to practice, to be with myself, to be internalized, to connect to my center which I search for from the periphery. The body, being my instrument, is my vehicle to journey to deeper levels. When there is unease in the asana or some discomfort, I explore that. I search and question why this discomfort? The body is attempting to tell me something. Something needs to be adjusted. I let my intelligence circulate and allow the breath also to guide me. I need only listen to the inner teachers and allow them to help me find answers. Asanas that are difficult for me I don't shy away from. For I know the unease is a learning experience. This path is about transformation. about change, about purification of the body, sense organs, mind, intelligence, ego. Another time I remember Geetaji saying, "we need the vrttis, the mental fluctuations (pramana, correct knowledge; viparyaya, wrong knowledge; vikalpa, imagination; nidra, sleep; and smriti, memory) they guide you. Viparyaya, everything is perfect, has to go." Such a wise teacher.

So each day I return to the mat and see what new understandings come today. Can I align my energy a little better. So much work has to be done, so many lifetimes of practice to come. I happily and cheerfully continue.

Kathy teaches Public Classes, Back Care Classes, as well as Teacher Training Classes at IYISF. You can see her bio here.